[OS X TeX] Adding Classes to Latex WHile using texShop

[Herbert Schulz]

On Oct 18, 2011, at 8:48 PM, Kevin Fjelsted wrote:

> Hi;
> How do I add a ".CLS" file to Latex under OS X Lion?
> 
> I did a standard install of Texshop and Latex.  
> I notice that TexShop recognizes class files as a type however my various searches don't seem to match the file locations that the Latex files reside in.
> 
> Thanks.
> -Kevin

Howdy,

First: under Lion the Library folder in your HOME folder, known as ~/Library/ is hidden from view be default. The easiest way to get to it is to hold down the Option key when you click the Go menu in Finder; you'll see the Library icon as a menu choice. There is a way to un-hide that folder too but this is a start.

Second: TeX (it isn't TeXShop) looks in several folders for personal items (e.g., bibliography [bib], bibliography style [bst], package and class files [sty, cls, fd]). You may have to create these nested folders since they aren't created by default. The short list (there are others) is

~/Library/texmf/bibtex/bib/ for bib files,
~/Library/texmf/bibtex/bst/ for bst files,
~/Library/texmf/tex/latex/  for sty, cls, fd files.

You should put your personal files inside folders inside those folders for organizational purposes. E.g., for your cls file Open the Library folder in your HOME folder as noted above and first create the texmf folder there; then enter that folder and create the tex folder; then enter that folder and create the latex folder; then go into that folder and make something like a mypackages folder (name it something more meaningful) and place your cls file into that folder.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)